Dan Benjamin
@danbenjamin.bsky.social
AI-written prose leans very heavily on contrastive framing, such as “It’s not about winning, it’s about learning,” where the first statement is reframed by immediately correcting or refining it.
This is a dead giveaway that the author was AI. And now real people are copying this style.
This is a dead giveaway that the author was AI. And now real people are copying this style.
November 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
AI-written prose leans very heavily on contrastive framing, such as “It’s not about winning, it’s about learning,” where the first statement is reframed by immediately correcting or refining it.
This is a dead giveaway that the author was AI. And now real people are copying this style.
This is a dead giveaway that the author was AI. And now real people are copying this style.
Did the dot-release for macOS Tahoe make it any more usable?
November 4, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Did the dot-release for macOS Tahoe make it any more usable?
Baby steps. How long before all traces of Liquid Glass are removed/replaced? iOS 27 I suppose.
iOS 26.1 lets you tweak Liquid Glass, and it’s out now
iOS 26.1 lets you tweak Liquid Glass, and it’s out now
A transparency update that lets you see clearly.
buff.ly
November 3, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Baby steps. How long before all traces of Liquid Glass are removed/replaced? iOS 27 I suppose.
The Unusual Newsletter
Weekly notes on work, creativity, industry, productivity, and entertainment
unusual.email
October 30, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Need access to my Samsung Galaxy phone. Pin forgotten months ago. No way to remotely unlock (not connected to Samsung account, phone missing from connected Google account). Powering off or restarting requires pin, so cannot enter Recovery mode.
October 5, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Need access to my Samsung Galaxy phone. Pin forgotten months ago. No way to remotely unlock (not connected to Samsung account, phone missing from connected Google account). Powering off or restarting requires pin, so cannot enter Recovery mode.
iPadOS removed features we loved (slide over), while adding poorly implemented, non-discoverable features we didn't really need (multi-windows, a weird sometimes-hidden gesture-activated menubar, long-pressing icons to open a new window).
September 18, 2025 at 11:25 PM
iPadOS removed features we loved (slide over), while adding poorly implemented, non-discoverable features we didn't really need (multi-windows, a weird sometimes-hidden gesture-activated menubar, long-pressing icons to open a new window).
iOS 26 has made my iphone into a bouncy cartoon.
September 16, 2025 at 3:25 PM
iOS 26 has made my iphone into a bouncy cartoon.
If this idea succeeds, I will abscond to Mars. Or maybe Venus, whichever serves stronger drinks.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan
Former Wondery exec Jeanine Wright is leading a new firm, Inception Point AI, that's betting on flooding the zone with audio content: “I think that people who are still referring to all AI-generated c...
www.hollywoodreporter.com
September 12, 2025 at 8:45 PM
If this idea succeeds, I will abscond to Mars. Or maybe Venus, whichever serves stronger drinks.
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
Sam Eagle is under appreciated.
August 28, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Sam Eagle is under appreciated.
Number one on the list of Things I Do Not Want.
These contact lenses give their wearers the ability to see infrared light, even with their eyes closed. Sign me up!! [theguardian.com]
Seeing infrared: scientists create contact lenses that grant ‘super-vision’
Breakthrough could lead to range of wearables that extend range of vision and help people with colour blindness
www.theguardian.com
August 28, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Number one on the list of Things I Do Not Want.
Do I know any freelance, non-agency, US-based iOS developers looking for a small, fun project?
August 27, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Do I know any freelance, non-agency, US-based iOS developers looking for a small, fun project?
Unpopular opinion:
I don’t care about my phone camera and would prefer a flat phone without a camera bump.
I am moving away from devices. Little social media. No “working on my phone.” Instead I use a computer to do focused work.
I don’t care about my phone camera and would prefer a flat phone without a camera bump.
I am moving away from devices. Little social media. No “working on my phone.” Instead I use a computer to do focused work.
August 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Unpopular opinion:
I don’t care about my phone camera and would prefer a flat phone without a camera bump.
I am moving away from devices. Little social media. No “working on my phone.” Instead I use a computer to do focused work.
I don’t care about my phone camera and would prefer a flat phone without a camera bump.
I am moving away from devices. Little social media. No “working on my phone.” Instead I use a computer to do focused work.
In 2025, how does one earn the nickname "Slim"?
August 5, 2025 at 11:09 PM
In 2025, how does one earn the nickname "Slim"?
As the realization/acceptance that an AI super intelligence is inevitable, it has also become clear that the race for better AI will eventually become an arms-race, taking place not between competing AI companies, but between governments, for the next great superpower. From nukes to AI.
August 4, 2025 at 1:40 PM
As the realization/acceptance that an AI super intelligence is inevitable, it has also become clear that the race for better AI will eventually become an arms-race, taking place not between competing AI companies, but between governments, for the next great superpower. From nukes to AI.
After several weeks of testing, I have decided that I won't be upgrading to iOS/iPadOS 26 or Tahoe, but I'd like to stay in the Apple ecosystem for as long as I can.
Do you know how long Apple typically provides security fixes for older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS?
Do you know how long Apple typically provides security fixes for older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS?
August 3, 2025 at 7:29 PM
After several weeks of testing, I have decided that I won't be upgrading to iOS/iPadOS 26 or Tahoe, but I'd like to stay in the Apple ecosystem for as long as I can.
Do you know how long Apple typically provides security fixes for older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS?
Do you know how long Apple typically provides security fixes for older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS?
I normally welcome and enjoy an OS overhaul. I was onboard with the path taken by iOS 6. I embraced Aqua when MacOS X was released. I enjoy the alternative desktops provided with Linux.
So I'm not sure why I'm having such a strongly negative reaction to Liquid Glass, even after trying it for weeks.
So I'm not sure why I'm having such a strongly negative reaction to Liquid Glass, even after trying it for weeks.
July 28, 2025 at 1:46 PM
I normally welcome and enjoy an OS overhaul. I was onboard with the path taken by iOS 6. I embraced Aqua when MacOS X was released. I enjoy the alternative desktops provided with Linux.
So I'm not sure why I'm having such a strongly negative reaction to Liquid Glass, even after trying it for weeks.
So I'm not sure why I'm having such a strongly negative reaction to Liquid Glass, even after trying it for weeks.
I'll be the curmudgeon and say that the new iOS, macOS, and iPadOS do not reflect good UX, or at least not the kind of UX I want to use for work every day.
I am now "that person" who just wants to get work done and have the UI get out of the way. Tahoe doesn't do this
sixcolors.com/post/2025/07...
I am now "that person" who just wants to get work done and have the UI get out of the way. Tahoe doesn't do this
sixcolors.com/post/2025/07...
First Look: macOS Tahoe Public Beta
For many years, Apple’s annual operating-system cycle seemed to be all about the iPhone, with the occasional bone thrown to the Mac or iPad. But Apple’s latest operating-system releases…
sixcolors.com
July 25, 2025 at 4:11 PM
I'll be the curmudgeon and say that the new iOS, macOS, and iPadOS do not reflect good UX, or at least not the kind of UX I want to use for work every day.
I am now "that person" who just wants to get work done and have the UI get out of the way. Tahoe doesn't do this
sixcolors.com/post/2025/07...
I am now "that person" who just wants to get work done and have the UI get out of the way. Tahoe doesn't do this
sixcolors.com/post/2025/07...
I saw F1 last night (in an IMAX theater, no less). It was the best movie I've seen in years, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys exciting movies, even if you don't typically enjoy car racing.
At no point does it devolve into a buddy film, or a romance film or even a typical racing movie.
At no point does it devolve into a buddy film, or a romance film or even a typical racing movie.
July 4, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I saw F1 last night (in an IMAX theater, no less). It was the best movie I've seen in years, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys exciting movies, even if you don't typically enjoy car racing.
At no point does it devolve into a buddy film, or a romance film or even a typical racing movie.
At no point does it devolve into a buddy film, or a romance film or even a typical racing movie.
Nothing will push people to switch from macOS to Fedora as quickly as this wack new Finder logo garbage.
June 25, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Nothing will push people to switch from macOS to Fedora as quickly as this wack new Finder logo garbage.
The Apple Keynote, aka "frozen steepling people" looks good this year.
June 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
The Apple Keynote, aka "frozen steepling people" looks good this year.
Every news story in 2025:
"This Obviously Terrible Thing Is About To Happen: Here's Why it Matters"
"This Obviously Terrible Thing Is About To Happen: Here's Why it Matters"
May 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Every news story in 2025:
"This Obviously Terrible Thing Is About To Happen: Here's Why it Matters"
"This Obviously Terrible Thing Is About To Happen: Here's Why it Matters"
Starbucks neither understands nor cares about the actual meaning of "extra room" nor "splash of." They only seem interested in their corn syrup drinks.
May 22, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Starbucks neither understands nor cares about the actual meaning of "extra room" nor "splash of." They only seem interested in their corn syrup drinks.
My favorite cut in any movie occurs in Goodfellas at precisely 0:26 in this clip. NSFW.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAIm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAIm...
GoodFellas Full You Have A Whore Scene2
YouTube video by amihoberg
www.youtube.com
May 15, 2025 at 10:36 PM
My favorite cut in any movie occurs in Goodfellas at precisely 0:26 in this clip. NSFW.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAIm...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAIm...
Reposted by Dan Benjamin
Aww, thanks, John!
John Mulaney Wants Weird Al in the Rock Hall Yesterday
Because the curly-haired legend “brought more people to music than is recognized at all.”
www.vulture.com
May 12, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Aww, thanks, John!